Mark Tufo, Armand Rosamilia, John O' Brien, Michael McFarland, and I could go on. Don't believe me? Chantal Boudreau, Suzi M., Lisa Olsen, Julianne Snow. See...? All of these writers are doing there own thing. Each of them is vastly different and amazingly talented. Not one of them is flying under the label of a "major" publisher. They are part of the thriving (despite what some might have you believe) Indie scene.
I am not going to dissect each one, but I do suggest that you hurry over to Amazon (or your book outlet of choice) and look them up if they are not currently occupying some of the space on your bookshelf or in the bits of your favorite e-reader.
What I want to talk about here is why you will find better entertainment (and significantly better value for your hard earned money) by reading books by the likes of these people and their brothers and sisters in literature. Sure, you might find a typo or two...but I got news for you, I find them in books by the "Big 6" as well, so put that argument to rest.
The Industry Machina is full of formulas on what "sells" and what "readers like". And THAT is why, when you read mainstream, you can predict the ending...you know whodunnit...who will live, who will die. The lines between good and bad are clear to the point where you don't need to think. Just be drawn in and led blissfully to the mental slaughter.
So what is my point? I will use one individual as my example. Ladies and gentlemen...Mark Tufo is a sick and twisted genius. (That label is courtesy of a 19-year old Coulrophobic...go ahead and look it up if need be.) His soon-to-be-released novel, Timothy 2 is some of the most twisted stuff I have read in a long time. There is not one single "feel good" moment in that book. And THAT is precisely why it works. He takes the reader on a dark ride and never even tries to take his foot off your throat.
A mainstream publisher would shy away from a lot of the stuff in that book. They would bring in an "editor" to surgically alter what I think will be my "Book of the Year" choice when I jump on the "Year in review" bandwagon in December and blog my Top 10 list like everybody else. And it is only March...and the book hasn't even been released yet!
Indie writers can take stories farther, get their stories out from places in their soul, and reach out and touch the reader. And they can do it with one hundred percent of their creative talent being put to use. I'm not saying there are not talented writers in the mainstream...that would be a ridiculous statement. But what I am saying is that there are some people out there putting out better for a third of the cost. And when you send them en email saying how much you enjoyed their work..THEY respond.not some aid or intern.
Go Indie.
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